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Prepositional case of Russian nouns .Part 1 Where is my book?

Learn Russian =learn cases! The Prepositional case is the sixth and final case in Russian grammar, though due to its relative simplicity it is often learned before the more complex genitive, instrumental and dative cases.

How to use and how to form Prepositional case of Russian nouns - read more.

The prepositional case is used to indicate place or position. So if you’d like to answer the question Where is my book? you should use the word that denotes a place using this case.

Your book is on the table. Книга на столе(the word that denotes a place where my book is - a table, that’s why I use this word in the Prepositional case)

стол - nominative

на столе -prepositional case

Your book is in a room - Твоя книга в комнате (nominative -комната)

Your book is in a bag - твоя книга в сумке (nominative- сумка)

Your book is in a library - твоя книга в библиотеке (nominative- библиотека)

Your book is on a sofa - твоя книга на диване (nominative- диван)

How to form Prepositional case of nouns in Russian language?

The prepositional is formed from the nominative singular nouns with the help of the following endings: -e, -и, -у, -ю (singular); -ax, -яx (plural).

Prepositional case of Russian nouns in singular

You will generally need to remove the last letter from the nominative singular noun and add one of these endings:

площадь - на площади

комната - в комнате

улица - на улице

or just add the ending

стол -на столе

офисе - в офисе

Prepositional case of Russian nouns in plural

Don’t forget to add prepositions В ir НА before words - this case is called Prepositional because it’s never used without prepositions.

In general the preposition “В” is used to design the position of a person or a thing inside something and can be translated in English by “in” or “at”:

inside something

в книге (in a book)

в комнате (in a room)

In a country

В России (in Russia)

в Италии (in Italy)

In a city в Петербурге (in Petersburg)

в Париже (in Paris)

In a building

в театре (in a theatre)

в доме (in a house)

In the mountains (plural names)

в Альпах (in the Alps)

In a place with frontiers

в Азии (in Asia)

в Европе (in Europe)

в районе (in a district)

The preposition “НА” is used to design the position of a person or a thing which is on or outside something. It is usually translated in English by “on”:

on something

на столе (on a table)

на книге (on a book)

in open space

на улице (outside, in the street)

на площади (in the square)

in the mountains (singular name)

На Кавказе (in the Caucasus)

on a island

на острове (on an island)

на Кубе (in Cuba)

на Кипре (in Cyprus)

talking about cardinal points

на севере (in the north)

на юге (in the south)

на западе (in the west)

на востоке (in the east)

talking about event/show

на концерте (at a concert)

на балете (at ballet show)

на выставке (at an exhibition)

Exceptions:

на почте (at the post office)

на фабрике (in the factory)

на заводе (in the works)

на стадионе (at the stadium)

And some more:

To express position or location some masculine nouns have the ending -У-